Scientific Family
Loasaceae
Plant type
Forbs and Subshrubs
Origin
Native
Lifecycle
Annual
Similar species
Mentzelia albicaulis
Height
To 2 feet
Riparian
No
Stems erect to ascending, white, shining, can be hairy or not hairy; upper leaves smaller than lower leaves, deeply dissected, up to 6 inches long; yellow to orangish flowers are in terminal few-flowered clusters.
Slender stemmed; leaves deeply dissected, without stems, reduced in size going up the stems; flowers yellow to orangish, petals twice the length of M. albicaulus , 1/4 to 1/2 inch long; capsules 3x longer than wide; seeds not winged.
Habitat
Chaparral to pine woodlands.
Plant Community
Pinyon Juniper Woodlands
Montane Conifer Forest
Interior Chaparral
Low elevation
3500
High elevation
7000
Flower Characteristics
Flowers appear waxy or shiny, petals 1/4 to 1/2 inch long, to 1/4 inch wide, bracts mostly narrow to broadly ovate, with whitish bases, often located on the ovary, margins toothed to lobed, stamens about 20 to 50, all with narrow filaments.
Flower color
Yellow to orangish
Flower shape
Regular
Tubular
No
First bloom month
March
Last bloom month
June
Flower clusters
Rounded
Leaf and Stem Characteristics
Generally to 6 inches long, not stemmed, narrow to lance-like; lower leaves pointed at their base, broader above the middle, upper leaves mostly narrow, becoming smaller up the stem, blades with deeply dissected margins.
Leaf type
Simple
Leaf color
Dark green
Leaf shape
Narrow
Leaf margin
Dissected
Leaves clasp
No
Leaf hairs
Leaves & stems
Spines
No
Fruit and Seed Characteristics
Club-shaped, widens toward the tip, tapers toward the base, 1/2 to 1 inch long, the earliest straight or slightly arched.
Fruit type
Capsule
Hanging seeds are not winged, those in upper half of capsule are grain-like, several-sided, irregular in cross-section.